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Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Word Play Time by Morgan Mandel

Word Play Time Again -
Writing doesn't always have to be serious. There are ways to make it fun and learn something in the process. That's where Word Play comes in. Today, like every 2nd Tuesday of the month, we at The Blood-Red Pencil do the Word Play thing.

I pick out some words and you figure out how to use them in sentences, or parts of a story. Some words may look alike, but mean something different. Others sound alike, but are spelled differently and also have different meanings.

My first choice is DATE.

Date - Verb - Going out with someone you do or might care about - She's going out on a date with him?

Date - Noun - A time element - What date was that again?

Date - Noun - A fruit - That date is kind of sticky.

My second choice is ROLL, ROLE

Roll- Verb - She knows how to roll with the punches.

Roll - Noun - Are you really putting butter on that roll?

Roll - Adjective - He did not answer the roll call.

Role - Noun - You don't have to play that role with me.

Now it's your turn. Think up sentences, phrases or small paragraphs using as many of the chosen words in as many meanings as you can and put them in our comment section. Remember to include a link as to where we can find you, in case we really like what you write. Only one link, please.

Let the Word Play begin!
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11 comments
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Marvin tried to cover his cringing with a winning smile. The result was a grimace that made it appear the date he was nibbling on had a bad spot.

"Wassa Matter?" Glenda mumbled as she stuffed another roll in her capacious, lipsticked mouth and began smacking. She had already eaten all but one of the appetizers, her entire meal and a fair portion of his. Then she had insisted on another basket of bread while they waited for dessert.

Marvin, a triathlete, had agreed to double date with his brother Mike and his new girlfriend Olivia. Glenda was, supposedly, Olivia's best friend. But Marvin was beginning to think it was all a set up - just a big joke on Marvin. After all, every time he reacted even slightly to Glenda's boorish manners and over-the-top eating, Mike and Liv exchanged bemused glances. Well, that was just fine; he could play along...

Suddenly he grabbed the basket from the middle of the table and sat bolt upright. His eyes narrowed, "Glenda, that's enough! You know, I really like you. You're a FINE woman. But you are killing yourself with all this food!" He swelled into the role at the sight of 3 shocked faces. Glenda had even stopped chewing. "You've eaten approximately 4,963 calories in just this one meal. That's insane! It's going to kill you! You need help now - and I'M the one who's going to save you!" He stood to his feet, eyes wild.

Mike stood up and placed a restraining hand on his frantic friend, "Marvin..."

"Don't stop me now, Mike, I'm on a roll!" He reached out his hand to Glenda, "Come, My Dear. We're going to the gym right now! I'm going to enter your name on the roll there for free. Then you and I will set a goal date for getting you in shape."

The waiter showed up just then with a tray full of chocolate cake. Glenda wavered as Mike and Liv watched in what appeared to be embarassed horror.

Suddenly Glenda started to grin, then to shake with mirth. She turned toward her friends, "You guys were right; He IS a live one! I LIKE him!" She took Marvin's hand and looked him in the eye, "Darlin', you take me to that gym. I'm ready!" Liv burst into laughter and Mike convulsed into guffaws.

Marvin smiled uncertainly. He thought he'd shocked them, but apparently he'd played right into their hands. They paid their bills and headed for the door. Olivia smiled broadly as she took Glenda's arm, "I told you we'd get you a personal trainer for free!"

Her date rolled his eyes, and took role call of her three friends who had been hiding in the next booth. They played their role perfectly, answering, "Here sir!" in squeaky voices. Going on a roll, he grabbed the dates from the bowl, stuffing them into his roll, rolled the whole sticky, gooy wad into his mouth, turned around and showed them the whole icky mess like a little boy. Mortified, she pulled her worn and dated paisley notebook out of her purse, and marked this date on her calendar. It would be the first time she had literally rolled on the floor laughing on a date. He had steamrolled right over her friends' prank.

I glanced at the calendar and shrieked at the date – I’d promised my date that I wouldn’t be late!Munching cherry-and-date jam spread thick on a roll,I pondered my role and thought it quite droll.For here I was, hoping he’d roll with the punch – I was ONLY six days and three hours late for our lunch!Called to account when St. Peter calls roll, I just hope I’m this late when my bell starts to toll!

On a wonderful date in May, in my role as dutiful daughter, I watched Mom make a date roll with graham crackers and marshmallows. She had to roll the mess into a tube shape and coat it with chopped nuts. I served a slice to my date that evening and pretended I made it myself while Mom rolled with laughter.

“Save every free date on your calendar.” The blind date from hell reached for his fourth dinner roll, his grimy fingers slick with butter. “I think this relationship is on a roll, if you know what I mean.” He winked, one brown eye disappearing between folds of pale flesh like a date rolled into pastry.Tucking my head over my calendar I rolled my eyes, called the roll of options, and decided to play the role guaranteed to send him home in a hurry. “That’s terrific,” I said, pretending to mark the squares. “My calendar is wide open. Everyone else cancelled when I told them about the diagnosis.”

I have a date to play the role of Nona in The Alto's (Like the Sopranos only Lower) and we hope nobody throws yeast rolls and squishy dates at us as we perform. If they do, we will just roll out of the way and let the rolls hit their dates.

"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned," Reginald said to Theodore."Well, what'd Sigourney expect? After all it'd been only one date, a blind one at that. So you rebuffed her.""Yes, get over it, I say.""Instead she almost rolls right over you with her motor car, frightful.""Oh, I think her simply playing the role of the hurt heroine.""She is quite the drama queen."The entire time that Reggie and Theo were conversing at Reggie's place, they were popping dates and merrily chewing and speaking around their eating. Finally, Theo asked, "Wherever did you get these delightful rum-coated dates?""Oh...yes, a parting gift from Sigoruney. All rather embarrassed in the end and apologetic for her nearly running me down, so she sent these over."Theo choked on the date in his mouth and spit it up. Reggie asked, "Are you all right, old boy?""You fool, Reggie! She's poisoned us both! I set you up with her, remember!" Theo fell, knocking over the coffee table and Reggie stared down at his own fate.

What if he tried to kiss me? Even worse, what if he hugged me and felt the roll around my middle?

Would he be disappointed when he saw me? I had my friend pick a future date, hoping I could lose a few pounds between then and now, but alas, I can only imagine the role of a runway model. I'll never be one.

I've tried every diet in the book, even the one where you eat nothing but dates, but my energy level plummeted to the point where I couldn't roll out of bed and make first period role call. Dates suck no matter how you define the word.